10 Top Tips for a Faster Computer

If you find your computer has been running rather sluggish lately, then here are 10 top tips to improve its performance and have it running like new.

1. Reduce the Number of Programs

Reduce the number of programs loading at boot up to a minimum. You can see what programs are being loaded by the operating system when it starts up by clicking on Start – All Programs – Start-up.

Before you make any changes to these, it’s a good idea to create a system restore point so you can undo any changes if a mistake is made. To set up a system restore point, select Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools – System Restore.

Once you have created a restore point, go to Start and select Run. A box will appear and into this box type msconfig. Press OK. Select Start-up at the top of the page.

At this point you can choose which programs are not to be loaded as the system boots up. This will only stop the selected programs from being loaded at start-up and will not affect their ability to be used at any time of your choosing. Your computer needs to be restarted to for these changes to come into effect.

2. Install an Anti Spyware Detection and Removal Tool

Spyware should always be deleted from your PC regularly as it can affect the performance of your computer and pose a security risk. If left unattended to these malicious programs can cause harm to your Operating System and result in a system crash. There are many free anti spyware applications available to download from the Internet. Once it is installed, check for updates and then run a full system scan. Remember to schedule a scan to run regularly and don’t forget to keep it updated to guard against the newest threats. We recommend a running a free scan from a trusted program such as XoftSpy.

3. Keep the Windows Registry Well Maintained

The Windows registry is a vital part of your computer therefore it’s crucial to perform regular maintenance on it to keep your PC running smoothly. Daily use of your computer will cause entries in the registry to build up and many of these entries will no longer be necessary. It’s important to use a good registry cleaner to locate and remove this redundant data. A clean registry will ensure optimum performance from your computer. Again, it is a good idea to create a system restore point before carrying out any work in this area.

4. Defrag Your Computer

This will allow your PC to make better use of the hard disk, allocating data to clusters rather than scattered or fragmented around the drive, resulting in faster processing speeds for your PC. To run the defrag tool go to Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools – Disk Defragmenter. Select the drive you wish to defrag and choose which check you want to run – standard or thorough.

5. Make Sure You Have Security Software Installed

This will include applications such as a firewall. These will guard against security threats such as hackers from gaining access to data on your computer.

6. Use a Good Uninstaller Program

This will ensure that any programs you remove from your computer are thoroughly deleted including any files or data associated with it. This will allow more free space on your hard drive and also enable your PC to function properly.

7. Allow Sufficient Space for the Windows Page File

This will ensure your Operating System has enough room to perform tasks. If you wish to increase the space allocated to the Page File you can do so by right clicking on My Computer, select Properties, choose Advanced tab and click on Change under Virtual Memory. The recommended amount of page file memory should be set at one and a half times more than the physical memory. After making any changes, click the Set icon.

8. Use Clean Manager

This is a Windows system tool designed to free up space on your hard drive by deleting any unnecessary or temporary files. Run the Disk Defrag prior to using the Clean up tool. To start the Clean Manager, go to Start and select Run. In the box which appears, type in cleanmgr.exe. Choose the drive you wish to clean and press OK.

9. Always Have Anti Virus Software on Your PC

It’s vital to have a good anti virus application installed on your PC and to keep it updated. It’s a simple and easy to use program which can either be installed from a CD or downloaded from the Internet. Once you have it installed, open the program and click on the icon which allows the software to check for updates. Install any updates and run a full system scan. The program should automatically remove viruses found.

10. Always Seek the Help of a Professional

If you have any hardware problems, always seek help from a pro. Unless you have the necessary computer knowledge and skills you will do more damage to your PC and could incur costly repair bills.

Tags: startup programs, system restore